Boiler cleaner



F. BOWERS BOILER CLEANER Sept. 26, 1933.

Filed July 23, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY Wm ama/W kW ATTORNEYS Sept. 26,1933.

Filed July 25, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS l s l w, ls

I ql IL I l I h fiaflk 5014 6 r5 1am M W Patented Sept. 26,1933

, .f e m" .t i BOlhER OLEANER Q Qjf 'Bowcrs Q-Detroit, Mich;assignoritoj Diamond Power Specialty Corporation, Detroit,

" 'MiclL,a *corpo'ration'fof Michigan' v I 1 Application J 1 ;23,"19 o.'serfi ai NoJ i'zobsagfl- Cl ims-,1 cr am This invention relates toboilercleaners and has particular reference-tea boiler cleanenofthe characterin which a'blower element" is pro vided with a plurality of dischargeopenings for directing jets of cleaning fluid adjacent portions of theboiler to be cleaned. 1 1

One of the primaryobjects of this invention is to provide means; wherebycleaning fluid will be supplied to only a limited number of thedischarge openings in said blower element at any p one timeso that thecleaning fluid will be discharged in .the form of one cr -more powerful'jets.1. a g

The invention further contemplates the provisioii'of ,meansfordischarging cleaning fluid into the blower element at any one-of aplurality of points and the provision of means'for'vary ing-the point ofdischarge of cleaning fiuidinto the blower element to vary the locationof the jet of cleaning fiuid'discharged'froni the blower element." I r IOther objects and advantages of thisinvention,'together witnthe numerousnovel details of construction thereof, will become more apparent as thefollowing description proceeds, particularlyIwhen reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein: V -Figure 1 is aserni-diagrammaticsectional View through a boiler cleaner constructed inf'accordshowingthe same in position in a boiler;

' Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1;

onth e line 3 -3 of Figure 1; p

' Figure-4 is aview similartoiFigure 1 showing a slightly modified formof construction; and

; Figure 5 is a fragmentary 'perspectivejview with parts broken away ofastill further fied form ofconstruction' i V Referring then particularlyto the. drawings wherein like reference characters designate cor--responding parts throughout all views, the"nu-' meral 10vdesignatesablower element which "extends through anopening 111 in the'boi-ler-wall-12 and which is provided with suitably'spaced discharge openings 13 fordirecting jets of cleaning fluid adjacent the portions of the boiler' tobe cleaned, such, for example, as the boiler tubes from the sameadjacent the portions of the boiler I s n rotation offthe drum, Theratchet teeth* are so to be cleaned.

may, as illustrated, be open, .while the other end ment.

ance with the teachings of ",this inventiion' and Figure 3 is asectional view taken substantially ment.

The distalorinner end of -the blower element thereof commu icateswith-lthembe' matings; I

asillustrated; is preferablyfgradually curved as.

at l9 'and extends adjacent .the..;boiler wallior,

a distance equal to the lengthof the blower ele- The tube 16 terminatesat its lower end in a'casing 25 whicnis preferably steam-tight toprevent the escape of cleanin'g;fiuid."* 139? tatably mounted in' the=casing25iis. a drumfl26, and wound on thisIdrum-is-a .flexible member;

such asthe chain 27. A shaftll28 proyidedwith a crank handle 29 provides"meansfor rotating thedrum to wind the-chain thereonz.. .v The *free endof the chain is' connectedas 30 to a spider 31 formed onjthe end -joffiffiplStOIl 32, which is carriedby' the end of a flexible-metalstube-33. This flexible metal tube extends through formed "by fixingsleeve -like "members on v the; ends o'f' the flexible mess, but itistoibe clearly understood'thatthe'se' pistons: maybe formedinv I anydesired manner as long "as theyengage the inner peripherie'sof the'tubelfi and blowereleme'nt 10, respectively. a The piston 34 is providedwith a spiders-40m which is connected one end "of a chain: 411, the

43 is-formed in the blower elementfto .ventthe other end-ofthis'chainbeing connected to-a pist I w I i ten 42 within theblower' element. .Anopening r space between thev pistons 32fla1id'f3d, while-a cleaningfluid supply pipe provides meanstfor supplyingcleaning-fluid to thetube'l6 atahpoint slightly above the casing 25.

.The pistons 32 and 34 may be convenientlyfde scribed as *sleeve pistonsin that'theyimerelyfi close the spacebetween the flexible tube; 33 and Jthe-tube 19'or blower element 10 while permitting the flow ofcleaning-fluid fromthe inlet "44 v through the flexible tubeto theblower element.- The piston 42, on the other-handgis a solidpiston'which prevents the flowIofcleaning fluid longitudinally of theblowerelement and-thus limits For checking longitudinal inovenient offlexible tube 33', there may beprovided' aratchet wheel 50 having theratchet 'teeth '51. This ratchetwheel 'may befixed-to the'sh'aft "28exteriorly of the casing 25 and a" pawl 52' pivoted "as at 53 on thecasing '25 is arranged for en'gagement with the ratchtteeth toperiodically check spaced circumferentiallyy of the "ratchet wheel Ithat the movement of the tube "33will be 'checked' rnits thislongitudinal travel of the tube33 and the 'chain '27'and drum 26 providemeans for conperiodically each timethe pistons 34 and 42fare located oneach side of a discharge nozzle. Thus to the discharge openings.

' "".The travel ofl'the'tube 33 will be, periodically The operation ofthe devicejas above described is as follows. Cleaning fiuid'such assteamun'der pressure is supplied to the tube 16 from the pipe Thiscleaning fluid acts on the piston 32. and-flows through theitube 33toeact on the piston- 42, thus'tendi'n'gl to urge the" tube 33out of thetube 16-.' Thegradual curve in the ,tube 16 pertrolling and limitingthe. longitudinal travel of checked by the lpawland ratchet mechanism sothatthe pistons. 34' andi42 will be positioned on opposite sidesof onedischargeopening '13 inthe blower element' ati-a'timeso' that thecleaning fluid-which passes throughfthe tube .3.Will'be supplied toonlyonedischargejopeningat a time,

7 -Obyiously', after cleaning fluid has been. supplied I to. onedischargezopening for adesired length of time, the pawl may bemomentarily released to permit a further 'advance of the tube 33 andassociated structure under] the .pressure :of the cleaningfiuid. Whenthe pistons 351; and 42 have moved. toa position :on' opposite sides ofthe next discharge opening, thelpawl 52 willengage the next ratchettooth to again check the movement of these pistons; Obviously, after allof the discharge openings have been successively supplied with cleaningfluidandthe tube 33 hasbeen-projected to the limitsjofits movement,;thesupply 'of'cleaning-fluidnlay be cut off and the-tube 33 -may bereturned to its original position :by a

proper, actuationof the cran15 29 and drum 2 6,

' thepawlriding over the ratchet teeth during this return movement,

O t e above it will be 9599 551 jifileinf V vention provides means fordischarging cleaning fluidiinto' a blower element at any one ofalplurality. 'Ofspaced points and provides means ior limitingthe,supplyof-cleaningfluid to the blo wer el'ementto a small areaadjacent-the nozzle to which .cleaning fluid isto besupplied. Thepistons Bfl-andAZrestrict the flow of cleaningflui d within the blowerelement so that the cleaning fluidwill be discharged only throughthedischarge; opening in the blower: element adjacent I which it, is-discharged ifrorri the tube 33, with the result that all, of thepressure of the-cleaning fiuidwill be, concentrated in a single powerfuljet. ,It will be obvious that, if desiredthe; chain .4lrmay belengthened to increase the space between thepistons34 and. 42; so that'more'than one discharge opening will be supplied with cleaningfluidata-time;

. ,In Figure 4 [a slightly modifiedfforrn" of construction is shown. Byreference to this .figurerofj the drawings; it lwil'll be noted that, asin the first described "form' of con struction, the blower elementflwis,rotatably journaledin'the end of tube 16 and'that cleaning fluid issupplied to the blower element by a .flexibletubeBSflmountd within thetube 1 6'. In this form of construction, however, there is pro vided achain 50 which is substituted for the chain 27 and which extendsentirely through the tube 33' for connection to the end of the chainoffitsrotative mo ement, 7 e the length ofuthefarc of discharge.ofcleaning 41" w ich connects" the piston 34 "tothe' piston 42'. IThus, in this form of construction no strain will-be placed upon .theflexible tube'33 upon ac-' tuation of the drum 26" to return the tube 33to itsoriginal position. I I p In Figure 5 a furthermodification of theinventive'idea' ijsdisc'losed and by reference tol this f gureitlwillibe noted ,thatthere' is provided a member adapted to be fixed'totheginner end of th e flexible tube'33az The member 60 is provided witha tubular end portion 61 which surrounds the end of the; tube 330. andwhich is adapted to-takethe place ofthepiston-Bd disclosed' insthe firstdescribed ormer inventions Spaced from; the portion 6:1 ofthe member 6})is a solidicylindrical portion -62 which constitutes the equivalent orthe piston l2 in'the first described form of construction. Conn e'cting"the portions 61 andg62 is an arcuate platelike mem-' ber 63 which; insubstance constitutes the equivalent of the chain All in that itprovides-meansfor transmittingmovement from,..the portion'ol of I themember 60 to thepo rtion 62 thereof V When the member 60' is*siibstitutedior the piston 34, chainAi and piston 42 ofth'e f rstdescribed torm pix-invention the operation willbesubstantially the. sameasabove outlinedin that cleaning fluid discharged'frorn'the endof" theflexible tube 33a will be restricted'in itsfiow-glongi' tudinally of theblower, element 10a'and thus will be discharged through the discbargeopening 1 a.- In this form of construction;however; the per tion 63 ofthemer'nber' will also constitut-e'a valvecrnember which will limitdischarge-bi the cleaning. fluid through the opening'13a toapredetermined portiono'f'th'e rotative movement'oi the blower eieme t"Thus;upon'rotationjof the blower element the port; 13a ,will'beperiodically closed by the portion 63 of the rhehl'beffitlalld gleamingfluid will befdischarged from the discharge opening forai'predetermined"portion only fluid .maylbe regulated by varying thewidth'bf eplate"63"so that the structurefrnay be designed topermit adischarge of cleaning fluid'through It will be obvious that 1:

any desired arc depending upon the-arrangement and location ofparts ofthe boiler to be cleaned.

The member" 6O will fit sufficientlyloosely within the blower element toprovide for movement "of this member longitudinally "of the blowerelement and'to also provide for rotation of the blower element relativeto thismember.

j In each form or, the invention; it will be noted thatthere is provideda blower element which is provided withdischar'ge openings" and which isrotatable so that'cleaning fluid discharged from the openings maybevdirectedftoward the parts of the boiler, to bejcleanged. "Cleaningfluid may be discharged into the blower element at any one of "apluralityofspaced points so that the cleaning fluid will'bedischargedfrom the blower element in, the'formj of fone or, morepowerful jets. Ob-

viously at any position of the'tube 33 within the blowerele'ment orwithinjthe tube 16 the blower element may be rotated by a sui'tableactuation .of the wheel 17.

For the'sake of convenience the invention has V been described as beingincorporated in a boiler cleane'rfor cleaning'part's of a boiler orthelike. It will be apparent, however, that the inventive principlesdisclosed might be'incorporatedin a cleaning device for cleaning anysimilar type of construction, and it is therefore to be understoodthat-theterm boiler wherever used in the speci- .paratusp 1 fication orclaims is to be construed as meaning a'heat transfer apparatus or'fluidheater of anycharacter, whilethe term boiler cleaner is to beconstrued as meaning a cleaner for anysuch ap- While the invention hasbeen described with considerable detail, it is to be understood that thedescription is for the purposes of illustration only and is notdefinitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is thereforereserved to make such changes in the details of construction andarrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attachedclaims.

What I claim as my invention is:

, 1. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower ele ment provided with apluralityof spaced discharge openings, means for discharging a cleaningfluid into said blower element at one only of a plurality of spacedpoints at a time and adjacent one of said openings at a time whilepreventing passage of the cleaning fluid within the blower element tothe'remaining openings to effect a dis-' charge of cleaning fluidthrough one of said openings at a time, and means for rotating saidblower element.

2. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blowerelement having a plurality ofdischarge openings, a

cleaning fluid supply tube having its discharge end within said blowerelement, and means for 'moving said cleaning fluid supply tube to locateopenings at a time. i I

3. In a boiler cleaner, a blower element prothe dischargeend thereofadjacent one of said vided with a plurality of discharge 1 openingspacleaning fluid supply tube having its discharge end arranged withinsaid-blower element, means for moving said supply tube to locate thedischarge end thereof adjacent one of said openings at a time, and meansassociated with said supply .tube' to limit the flow of the cleaningfluid within the blower element to compeldischargeof the cleaning fluidthrough the opening adjacent which the end of said supply tube islocated.

4. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower ele{' ment provided with apluralityof discharge open-- ings, a cleaning fluid supply tube havingits dis-.

charge end located within said blower element,

means acted upon by the cleaning fluid to move the said supply tube andthe discharge end thereof relative to the discharge openings in theblower element, and means for checking the movement of the said supplytube to locate the discharge end thereof adjacent one of said openingsat a time according to a predetermined desired sequence. i

5. In a boiler cleaner, a blower element provided, with a plurality ofdischarge openings spaced throughout its length, a cleaning fluid supplytube having its discharge end located within the said blower element,means acted upon by the cleaning fluid for moving the-supply tubelongitudinally of the said blower element, a flexi- 'elementat a time,and a valve member connectsaid 1 supply tube. adjacent the dischargeend' thereof, a second piston within] said blower element and flexiblyconnected to said first mentioned piston, said-jpistons cooperating torein the said blower eiemfenta pistbnfrornied'on' strict flowing ofthecleaning fluid discharged into said blower element from said supplytube to cause'this cleaning fluid to bedis'charged from one'of thedischarge openings in saidblower element at a time. 11 i Q '7. In aboiler cleaner, a. blower element'provided with a plurality. ofdischarge openings spaced throughout itslength, a flexiblecleaning 1.fluid supply tube having its discharge end located 1 within the saidblower, element, means acted upon by'the cleaning fluid for moving thesaid cleaning fluid supply tube longitudinally of" thej'blowerelement,'means forchecking :the movementof'.

said supplytube to locate the discharge end thereof successivelyadjacent: said discharge openings, a piston formed on the end of saidsupply tube within the saidblower element, a second piston locatedwithin said blower element, and means flexibly connecting said pistons,said pistons 00- operating to limit the flowof cleaning fluid within theblower element to compel discharge of the I same through that openingadjacentwhich the v discharge end of'the supply tube is located.

'8. In a boiler cleaner, ablower elementpro vided with a plurality ofspaced discharge openings, means for discharging a cleaningfluid intosaid blower element at one'onlyof a plurality of f spaced points at atime and adjacent one of said openingsat a' time while preventingpassage of the cleaning fluid within the blower element to the remainingopenings to effect a discharg of cleaning fluid throughone of said,openings at a r I time, means for rotating said blower element, and

means for limiting the discharge of cleaning fluid g through saiddischarge opening to aportion of the. rotative movement of the blowerelement.

9. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable blower .ele-

charge end arranged within'said blowerv element,

, ment'provided with a plurality of discharge openings, a cleaning fluidsupply tubehaving its dismeans for moving said supply tube to locate thedischarge end thereof adjacent one of said openings at a time, meansassociated with said supply tube to limit the flow ofthe cleaning fluidwithin V V the blower element and to compel discharge of the cleaningfluid through the opening adjacent which the endof said supply tube islocated, andmeans for limiting dischargeof cleaning fluid through saidopening to a portion of the rotative movement of the blower element. I g

10. In a boiler cleaner, a rotatable-blowerelement provided with aplurality ofdischarge open- I ings spaced throughout its length, acleaning fluid supply, tube having its discharge end located Within thesaid blower element, a piston formed on said supply tube adjacent thedischarge end thereof, a second-piston withinsaid blower element andspaced from the first mentioned piston, I j said pistons cooperating torestrict flow of the ,ment to cause this cleaning fluidto be dischargedcleaning fluid discharged into said blower elee from one of thedischargeopenings in said blower ing said pistons for closing saiddischarge opening during a portion of the rotative movement of saidblower element. Y

. I .FRANK BOWERS.

